Winged Monkeys
Winged Monkeys are a species of mechanical mammals native to the Edenian land of Oz. First created by Winkie engineers during the Wander Years between the First and Second Ages, these sly simians have long since abandoned the lab from whence they came. Capable of reproducing on their own, they have spread their mischievous ways far and wide and become beloved pets of families across Eden.
Beloved by children, at least.
That said, the devoted service of winged monkeys to the wicked witches Mombí and Elavaris during the Second Age still lingers in the minds of many halflings. And so, the species and their adoration of the Golden Cap remain the subject of great debate across much of the west.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Winged monkeys are four-limbed artificial primates. They are capable of walking on four legs or just two, and have a pair of wings on their back and a cute li’l tail sprouting from their backside.
Genetics and Reproduction
The Winkies who created the first generation of winged monkeys challenged themselves to create a fully functional reproductive system within these oh-so-precious primates. Because of this, winged monkeys are able to procreate on their own—in much the same way that their non-mechanical and non-winged cousins can.
The only real difference is the ability of the male winged monkey to decide—via a mental command send to the testes—whether or not the sperm he produces will contain the Y chromosome.
Pregnancy lasts 160–180 days, after which the mother delivers 1–2 children. Though their Winkie creators originally programmed them to be capable of bearing only singletons, winged monkeys have been producing twins for decades now. Life, as Ian Malcolm once told us, finds a way.
Growth Rate & Stages
After birth, the very young cling to their mother’s breast for several days. Once they’ve grown a bit, they move to mama’s back. And after several weeks of clinging, they began to ambulate on their own.
Juvelines become fully mature after 8 years.
Ecology and Habitats
Winged monkeys prefer the wooded places of the world, and despite their wings actually prefer to live life as non-synthetic simians might. They enjoy climbing trees, swinging from vines, and foraging the forest floor for things to eat.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Winged monkeys are omnivorous, able to convert just about anything that they can fit into their mouths into fuel.
Behaviour
Winged monkeys delight in playing tricks—both on themselves and on the beings they share the world with. They believe that mischief makes them smarter, and that it keeps their instincts sharp. Modern individuals know that a keen mind is essential in overcoming the species’ obsession with shiny things—gold chief among them.
Winged monkeys understand all too well that it’s only a matter of time before another bad actor shows up and attempts to subjugate them the way that the wicked witches did. And they want to be ready the next time that fate befalls them.
They want to be ready when someone will want to subjugate them again. Does that mean they are ready to resist subjugation?
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I think so. I think they’ve had enough of that in the past.